Kathleen Long

Kathleen Marie Long, age 58, passed away among close family members at Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala Florida, the morning of July 16th, 2014. "Kathy," as she was fondly referred to, was born in Kalamazoo Michigan on December 6th, 1955, to the late Donald Lyle Keegan Sr. and Ione Unice (Newlun) Keegan. She had five siblings, Allen, Donald Jr, James, Phillip, and Deborah.Kathleen graduated from Msgr John R. Hackett Catholic Central High School in 1974, and continued her education at the University of Maryland, where she achieved a Bachelor's Degree of Science and Nursing in 1978, being subsequently commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corpse. Kathleen served as an active duty officer in the United States Army for ten years, attaining the rank of Major and earning multiple awards for distinguised service. After serving in the US Army Reserves for an additional four years, she recieved an honorable discharge to further pursue her career in nursing, which remained her passionately fulfilled occupation for the last tweny-two years.On August 15th, 1987, Kathleen married Timothy M. Long, who would be the love of her life and closest companion for twenty-seven years. In addition to her husband, Kathleen is survived by her two children, Christopher Keegan and Caitlin Elizabeth, as well as five step-children, Jonathan, Coreen, Leaca, Timothy, and Matthew. She was also blessed with ten grandchildren, Corbin Michael being her youngest, and several neices and nephews. While she was preceded in death by Donald Jr and James Keegan, she is still survived by three siblings and her siblings' spouses, Allen and Judith Keegan, Phillip and Sharon Keegan, Wilma (married to James Keegan), Kay (married to Donald Keegan Jr.), and Deborah (Keegan) Millek.Visitation services for Kathleen will take place at the Bruce Chapel East in Ocala, Florida, 3-6pm on July 19 ,2014. A funeral mass will be held at 11:30am on Monday, July 21st, 2014, at the Blessed Trinity Catholic Church in Ocala, Florida. Her final resting place will be located in the Florida National Cemetary at Bushnell, Florida. Kathleen's services and burial have been graciously organized by the Roberts Funeral Homes of Ocala, Florida.Throughout her life, Kathleen was renowned for her intellect and her inspiring enthusiasm for learning, which were often expressed through her love for reading and travel. She also devoted herself to remaining vibrantly involved in the lives of her family and especially her children, creating fond memories through her several years as a Boy Scout troop leader and many travelling vacations, which she loved to capture through photographs. While Kathleen will be remembered for her inspiring ability to love passionately and give generously, she will certainly be remembered for her ambition for adventure. Summing up both her love of travel and exemplifying her memorable personality through a quote in a personal journal, she wrote, "It's more than just travel- it's about the rewards of risk taking, living, feeling, learning, and loving."

Kathleen Long

December 6, 1955 - July 16, 2014